At a convention where attendees dress up as their favorite science fiction movie characters, it’s difficult to stand out from the crowd, but one Long Islander did just that—with his furniture.
Among the many vendors selling memorabilia and collectibles at the fifth-annual Eternal Con—a convention dedicated to pop culture, comic books and movies—was Regal Robot, Long Island-based company that manufactures officially licensed Star Wars-themed desks, coffee tables and love seats.
“I wanted to make Star Wars furniture that was really three dimensional and cool,” Tom Spina told the Press during the convention earlier this month at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum. He recalled that he’s been “making things has ever since I was as small as I can remember.”
The showstopper was the $9,999 Dewback loveseat modeled after the giant lizard-like creatures that stormtroopers rode through the desert on Tatooine, Luke Skywalker’s home planet, in the original Star Wars movie.
The loveseat is more sculpture than furniture, but fans couldn’t deny its wow factor. As fans walked by, they couldn’t help but stop and pose for pictures on the loveseat, which is crafted with painstaking attention to detail. Spina said the loveseat is created using an actual scan of the actual original model used in the 1977 Star Wars movie.
Also on display at the Regal Robot booth was a Star Wars coffee table that is a replica of Han Solo frozen in carbonite from the 1980 movie The Empire Strikes Back. The table can also be made into a mahogany desk. Wall art and Star Wars director’s chairs were also on display for fans with a thinner wallet.
Having created masks and props since he was a kid, then pursuing a career in movie prop restoration and wax figure creation, it was an easy fit for Spina to start creating unique Star Wars furniture that stands out as a collectible.
Most of the collectibles are made on LI by hand, which makes each piece a bit unique. All of their items are made in the USA.
Regal Robot mainly sells to fans and collectors via word of mouth and online. On the horizon, Regal Robot is taking to wholesalers to bring these products to larger audiences. But for now, fans can find them at RegalRobot.com.
